Locomotive-truck.



no. 700,004. Patented Aug. l2, |902.

E. smw. l

LUCUMOTIVE TRUCK.

(Appliminn med Apr. 1902.)

(In Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

EPIIRAIM SlIAfY,1` SPRINGS, MICHIGAN.

Locom oTlLvE-TR U cK'. f

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 706,604fdated August12,1902;

To all 1071/0111/ it may concern/.Q 1`

Springs, in the county ofEmmet andl State of Michigan, have inventedcertain newand useful Improvements in Locomotive-Trucks and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, y

clear, and exact description of the invention,

such as will enable others skilled in the art tok which it appertains tomake and use the same.

This invention relates to trucks'ifor locomotives of that type in whichpower istransmitted from the piston of the engine tothe driving-wheelsthrough the medium of a longitudinal driving-shaft and bevel-gears orother connections, an example of which is illustrated and described inUnited States Letters Patent No. 242,992, issued to me on June 14, 1881.

The principal objects of my present inven-nA tion are to maintain thebevel-gears 4on' the driving-shaft and'driver-axles inI properrelationnotwithstanding thechangingpositions of the driver-axles as thewheelsor.drivers pass over irregular anduneven track. and toA relievethe journal-boxes holding the gears -in mesh from the weight of thelocomotive and consequent thrust and Wear.

The invention will hereinafter be first fully described with referenceto the accompanying drawings, which forma part of this specifica-` tion,and then more particularly pointed out. in the following claims. v

In said drawings, in which corresponding parts in the severalviews are`designated by the same referencecharacters,Figure'l is a top plan Viewof a locomotive-truck embody ing my invention. Fig. 2 is aside elevationthereof. Fig. 3is anend elevation; and Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan Viewof aI portionmof a truck of different construction, illustrating amodification ofthe invention. l,

The truckillustrated has :four wheels, both pairs of ,which constitutelocomotive-drivers;

but it will be understood thatmy invention is independent ofthe'particular style of truck and number of wheels and drivers.

The letter A designates the wheels or drivers, and B denotes thedriver-axles. The axles are journaled in suitable bearings or boxes C,

which, as shown, are secured to equalizing side bars D, connected by a-central brace E.

sean No. 101,005. (No maar.)

The said side bars, brace, and journal-boxes constitute the frame of thetruck, upon which `are mounted the usual bolster or bolsters (notsh'ownlwhich support the weight of the loco- In the constructionillustrated in Figs. l, 2, and 3 the driver-axles extend through orbeyond the wheelsatone'sideof the truck and are providedfwithVbevel-gears F, rigidly secured thereomwhich mesh with similarbevelpinions G onthe longitudinal driving-shaft II of the locomotive.Gears F may be keyed to the axle or bolted to a xed hub on the axle, thelatter arrangement being preferred, since it allows repairs to be mademore readily. The said shaft II is driven by suitable connection (not,shown) with'the piston of the engine, andthus transmits power to thedrivers through the bevel-gearing F and G. As explained in thespeccation of my aforesfaid patent, the driving-shaft is preferably icomposed ofseparate sections united by universal `joints or couplings,as at I, for the purpose of compensating. forfcurved, irregular, orVuneven track andpreventing bending, mproper straining, and injury tothe drivingshaft.

In order to maintain the bevel-gearing F and G in proper relation atalll times notwithstanding the changing positions of the axles as thewheels or drivers `pass .over irregular or uneven track, thedriving-shaft is preferably journaled at opposite sides of each setofYsaid bevel-gearingin suitable boxes '.T, whichare rigidly secured toand supported by a bridle frameor yoke M, which latterlisl rigidlysecured to boxes K and L, mounted on lthe corresponding driver-axle.AThe box K ismounted vsubstantially midway or at any other desiredposition between the wheels or on the opposite end of the axle and.maintained in such position by collars. k or other suitable means, andthe box L-.is mounted between the driver and the bevel-geargF. The saidboxes J, K, and L are arranged in accurate axial relation, andconsequently the gears F and G are caused to mesh perfectly at alltimes, thus preventing twisting and injury to the gear-teeth, unduestrain of the parts, and loss of power. A brace and guard N ispreferably secured between the boxes J to prevent movement thereof andincrease IOO the strength and rigidity of the structure, to y guard thegears from dust or contact with foreign bodies on the track, and toprevent grasses or weeds from brushing against the gears, wiping ed theoil, and imparting dust or grit thereto.

The bridle-frame consists, preferably, of an integral casting of steelor other metal and may be formed integrally with or rigidly securedtothe boxes in any suitable manner. As shown, Figs. 2 and 3, said boxesare formed with flat-sided lugs or projections depending from theirlower members, and the frame is bolted sidewise to said lugs.

The bridle-frame shown in Figl comprises a curved or elliptical mainbody bolted to the boxes K and L and inclosing the driving- Wheel andhaving outer integral or rigid arms or yoke members bolted to the boxesJ to support the driving-shaft. It will be understood,however, that theframe may be of any suitable form and-construction, according to framemay be in the form of arches and pass the construction of the truck andrelative arrangement of the driving-shaft, axles, and gearing.

In the modified construction (represented in part in Fig. 4l) thebevel-gear F is secured directly to the wheel or driver and the box L isomitted. The driving-shaft H and also the outer end of the driver-axleare both journaled in a single Adouble box J, bolted or secured to abridle frame or yoke M', which passes around the Wheel and is secured tothe box K, mounted on the driver-axle.

ln some instances the sides of the bridleover the side bars D, thoughthe constructions illustrated or` similar constructions are preferredfor the purposes of strength, simplicity, and lightness.

The invention is adaptable for use with other types of gearingas,forinstance,screw and-pinion gearing-and is also susceptible of variousmodifications in details of voonstruction and arrangement withoutdeparting from the scope thereof. Having thus fully described myinvention, .what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is-

1. In a truck for locomotives of the character described, thecombination with the longitudinal driving-shaft, driving-wheels andaxle, and intermeshing gears on said shaft and axle, of a rigidbridle-frame mounted on said axle having bearings at opposite sides ofthe gears in which the shaft is journaled and supported, substantiallyas described.

2.. In a locomotive-truck, the combination with drivers and axle, alongitudinal drivingshaft at the side of the truck, and intermeshinggears on said shaft and axle, of a rigid frame or structure in which thedriving-shaft is journaled inclosing the adjacent driver and mounted onthe axle at opposite sides of said driver, substantially as described.

3. In a locomotive-truck, the combination with the drivers and axle, alongitudinal driving-shaft disposed at the side of the truck, andintermeshing gears on said shaft and axle, of a journal-box mounted infixed position on the axle intermediate the drivers, a box mounted onthe axle between said gearing and adjacent driver, a bridle-frameinclosing said driver and rigidly secured to said. boxes, and similarboxes in which the driving-shaft is journaled secured to and supportedby said bridle-frame; substantially as described.

4. In a locomotive-truck, the combination with the drivers and axle, alongitudinal driving-shaft disposed at the side of the truck,

and intermeshing gears on said shaft andA axle, of journal-boxes mountedon the axle at opposite sides of the driver, a bridle-frame inclosingsaid driver and rigidly secured to said boxes, said frame havingoutwardly-extending yoke-arms, and boxes at opposite sides of the gearsin which lthe driving-shaft is journaled secured to and supported bysaid arms; substantially as described.

5. In a locomotive-truck, the `combination with drivers and axle, alongitudinal drivingshaft, and intermeshing gears on said shaft andaxle, of a rigid structure mounted on the axle and having bearings atopposite sides of the gears in which the driving-shaft is journaled, anda guard secured to said bearings beneath the gears, substantially asdescribed.

6. In a locomotive-truck, the combination with a number of axles anddrivers, of a longitudinal driving-shaft, intermeshing gears on saidshaft and axles, and rigid structures mounted on each of thedriver-axles at opposite sides of one set of drivers having bearings inwhich the shaft isjournaled, said structures thereby fully supportingthe shaft, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EPHRAIM SHAY.

Witnesses:

WM. H. LEE, JAMES WHITE.

IOO

